Ira Charles was shot in the chest at about 2 a.m. as the robbers looked through his and his friend’s pockets, and he died a few hours later, police said.
A file photo of Trenton police investigating a crime scene TRENTON – Two robbers who shot and fatally wounded a 24-year-old Hamilton man in the South Ward early Saturday had no obvious motive to kill him, police said today.
Ira Charles was shot in the chest at about 2 a.m. as the robbers looked through his and his friend’s pockets, and he died a few hours later, police said.
“The only thing we have is they were taking too much time getting their items out of their pockets,” Lt. Mark Kieffer said.
The suspects fled on foot after the single shot was fired and remain at large, police said.
Charles was on the 200 block of Randall Avenue outside the home of his friend, a 28-year-old city man, when they were allegedly accosted by two masked men who came out of the darkness and demanded money. One man was carrying a silver revolver, Kieffer said.
After yelling “Give it up” to announce the robbery, the suspects waited impatiently as Charles and his friend surrendered cash, cell phones, and jewelry, police said.
“The victims were taking a little bit of time, so (the suspects) went through their pockets,” Kieffer said.
There is no evidence that Charles or his companion fought back, yet as the suspects were rifling through the victims’ pockets to get more belongings, the man with the revolver shot Charles in the chest from an arms-length distance.
An ambulance rushed Charles to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was underwent emergency surgery and survived several hours before being pronounced dead at 9:30 a.m.
Charles’ killing was the city’s ninth homicide of the year. Last year, the city did not record nine homicides until late July.
The 28-year-old man was not injured and has cooperated with police. Charles had a minor criminal record but detectives have found no evidence that drug-dealing or gang rivalries played a role in the robbery-homicide, police said.
Charles played as a linebacker for the Hamilton Hornets football team at Hamilton High West during his senior year there in 2005, according to the team’s published roster.
The suspects are described as black males, about 20 years old, with thin builds. One
was described as 5 foot 6 inches tall, wearing a black bandanna covering his face, and the other as 5 foot 8 inches tall, wearing a white bandanna over his face and gloves and carrying a silver revolver.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call police at (609) 989-4170 or the Confidential Tip Line at (609) 989-3663.
Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.
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